CKD Screening & Diagnosis — WCHQ Toolkit
Source: WCHQ CKD Screening & Diagnosis Toolkit
Who to Screen
Screen early and frequently for patients with:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Hypertension
- Age > 60
- Obesity
- Family history of kidney disease
- History of acute kidney injury (AKI)
- Tobacco use
- Social determinants of health (poverty, etc.)
More than 1 in 7 US adults are estimated to have CKD — many unaware, since early-stage disease often has no symptoms.
Recommended Tests
Both tests are needed — abnormal results can occur independently:
| Test | What it measures | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| uACR (Urine Albumin-Creatinine Ratio) | Protein/creatinine levels | Early indicator; can reveal kidney damage ~10 years before eGFR decline. Dipstick tests NOT recommended. |
| eGFR (Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate) | Blood test of kidney function / toxin clearance |
Staging / Risk Assessment
Use the KDIGO Heat Map to correlate eGFR + uACR values to:
- Diagnose CKD stage
- Assess patient risk
- Determine referral needs
- Track disease progression or improvement
See attached flow chart for the WCHQ screening workflow.
@nephrology @ckd @screening
